Eagletarian Blog

Donovan McNabb, Brian Westbrook and prodigal .linebacker Jeremiah Trotter practiced today as the Eagles returned from the bye week and began preparations for their game against Tampa Bay on Sunday.

McNabb suffered a fractured rib on Sept. 13 in the season-opening victory over Carolina. He has not played since.

Westbrook has an injured ankle, suffered in Game 2. He was a mildly surprising scratch from the third game, Sunday a week ago, when his recovery stalled.

Trotter, 32, looked trim after his first NFL practice in 21 months, which he said went well.

"It was fun being out there, especially with some of the guys I already knew -- (Mike) Patterson and (Brodrick) Bunkley and guys like that," Trotter said. "I just tried to hit the ground running. It's still going to take some time for me to pick up everything."

Tracy White said his main enticement for giving No. 54 back to Trotter was a deal with Trotter's South Jersey car washing enterprise. It's unclear if practice squad linebacker Jay Leman got anything for moving out of the last locker stall on the left, Trotter's historic home.

Every Eagles linebacker was present during the time reporters were allowed in the locker room except for incumbent MIKE starter Omar Gaither, the guy who will now be sharing snaps with Trotter. Trotter said he did get some first-team snaps Monday.

Neither McNabb nor Westbrook spoke with reporters; Westbrook did not appear in the locker room, and McNabb turned down requests for comment. Michael Vick said he felt refreshed after the bye, and is now only 4 pounds above the 208 he played at in Atlanta, before he went to prison for his role in a dogfighting operation. Asked to comment on last week's controversy with Nike -- in which a Vick representative said the quarterback had signed an endorsement deal, and Nike denied it -- Vick said he would only answer questions about football.

Of the Eagles who were limping going into the bye, only left guard Todd Herremans did not practice Monday, a team spokesman said. Herremans has discarded the little cart he was wheeling his repaired left foot around on, but he now wears a bulky protective boot. Herremans said he is still hoping to return Oct. 26, at Washington, the Birds' first NFC East game.